A growing family often means less space. Children take up a lot of room sometimes, and while a bigger family means more to love, you may not always love the cramped feeling that can come with it.
Whether your family is growing by a cute little bundle of joy, or by less “traditional” means, one by one or all at once, more people quite simply means more stuff. You’ll need to make the most of the room you have without breaking the bank. Often, there is space in your home that goes unnoticed, and it could be space that you desperately need. Here are a few ideas of things you can do to make your home more functional while keeping it stylish.
1. Vertical Storage
Often, storage solutions equal drawers or shelves that are hidden away or storage furniture like ottomans or sofas, but that leaves so much space that could be used for storage! Check out some of these storage ideas from Better Homes and Gardens that can get your things off the ground and leave more floor space open for those tiny feet! It can also help keep tiny hands out of things they shouldn’t be getting into.
2. Sliding Doors
Sliding barn-style doors are more than just a trend, they are great at saving space! Also, without those pesky, pinchy areas that hinged doors have, they are great for little fingers. Take a DIY easy barn door kit for example. Not only can you save room in your smaller than ideal rooms, but you can also match any style by using your own slats. Add some soft edging, like foam or rubber bumpers, and you can even keep your angsty teen from that all too common slamming the door phase.
3. Upgrading Appliances
It may seem like it doesn’t make a difference, but upgrading appliances to newer and more efficient appliances will help keep up with a growing family without adding more to the bills. Whether by cutting the time it takes to do laundry or by having more freezer space, newer appliances will end up saving you money and time in the long run. If you have a large enough family, perhaps adding a second conventional oven may be useful to cook more at once, so you can spend more time sitting down with the family instead of preparing meals for them.
4. Furniture Covers
While many people often think of the 70s and 80s when they think of furniture covers, they can actually help modernize your furniture and make those living room pieces last longer. Let’s face it, having kids comes with having messes, and sometimes those messes get spread over the living room couch. Why not protect that investment with a cover that you can take off and throw in the washer when your little one decides they want to be an artist and proves it by taking markers to the sectional.
5. Adding a Bathroom
More people often mean that someone will always be using the bathroom, especially when you need to! Hands down, the most expensive idea on our list, but possibly the most necessary. Adding a bathroom may sound overwhelming, but the extra storage space and less arguing over the bathroom just might be worth it. It can also help raise your home’s value. However, if you add a full bathroom, don’t forget to make sure that your water heater can handle the extra hot water demand.
No matter what you decide to do, from small additions to large renovations, keep in mind that there are so many things that you can do to make sure your home is being used to its maximum potential. If you still don’t know where to start or what to do, an easy internet search can help get you started on your journey to making your home more functional as your family grows. A growing family can be stressful, but your home shouldn’t have to be. With a few tricks, your home can grow right along with you without straining your wallet.
